Apple Joins Bluetooth 4.0 Special Interest Group

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced the addition of Apple Inc. as a member of its board of directors. Insight from Apple on platform development will ensure a smooth growth trajectory of Bluetooth v. 4.0, the organization said.

Bluetooth is a wireless technology and currently the global standard for simple wireless connectivity for a huge array of electronic devices.

In addition to Apple, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group also welcomed Nordic Semiconductor, a company specializing in sensor silicon.

Nordic’s Svein-Egil Nielsen brings experience in R&D and a vast understanding of the ultra-low power space and its demands, according to the announcement.

The Bluetooth SIG recognizes the duo as leaders in the markets they currently activate.

Agreed upon by unanimous vote of the current board of directors, Apple and Nordic's two-year appointments will officially begin on July 1, 2011, the group said.

"We see the importance of platform development and ultra-low power sensor silicon for Bluetooth technology and believe guidance and board participation from Apple and Nordic, industry leaders in these perspective fields, is essential," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.

"We have set the ambitious goal of shipping five billion devices in 2015 – to get there we must continue to build a technology that will offer a simple and secure solution that can be found everywhere, in every type of device. These additions to our board will ensure we succeed in new markets we have targeted for growth," added Foley,

Other household names already under SIG’s umbrella include Intel, Motorola, Lenovo, Nokia, Microsoft, Ericsson AB, and Toshiba.

In addition to these names, more than 14,500 additional companies are members on the Bluetooth SIG board, all with the goal to drive expansion of the Bluetooth technology into platform and sensor markets, according to the group.